#21 / the summer foods of my childhood
The Summer Camp Project founder sharing a personal story about memories of childhood foods, the importance of building community around a table, and summer camp.
Part of an ongoing series on the "why" behind The Summer Camp Project. Full story here → Our Story
Vietnamese Classics — Bánh Xèo (sizzling crispy stuffed crepe), Bắp Nướng Mỡ Hành (grilled corn brushed with scallion oil), Bún Riêu (crab, pork, and tomato noodle soup), Chè Thái (fruit cocktail dessert)
Texas & Regional Comforts — Blue Bell Ice Cream cups topped with roasted peanuts (Brenham, Texas), Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (Plano, TX), Strawberry Shortcake (birthday tradition, Paris Bakery in Arlington, TX)
Cross-Cultural & Fusion Favorites — Chicken Broccoli Curry Casserole (American derivative of NYC’s Chicken Divan), Chicken Lettuce Wraps (homemade play on P.F. Chang’s), Goulash (Midwest USA comfort with 9th-century Hungarian roots)
Living embedded across these different cultures was a blessing, though I didn’t see it that way growing up. As a child, navigating who I was between these distinct groups felt like a heavy burden. Today, I realize the real magic lies in integrating every single piece of that journey and bringing it all to the table.
I belong to a unique sub-segment of Vietnamese refugees: the 1.5 generation, or the “camp generation.” Born in a transit asylum camp in Bataan, Philippines, my identity bridges the historical trauma of Vietnam with the resettlement realities of America. I have no lived memories of Vietnam. My earliest environments were defined by ration lines and temporary shelters. Add adoption into the mix, and I became someone perpetually between cultures.
Eventually, that identity shift became my superpower as a social connector and community builder.
People are food-motivated, so I began inviting friends into my home to share these meals. When we were lucky, my biological mom would prepare my favorite Vietnamese dishes for us. Meanwhile, my adoptive parents showed me what it truly meant to build community through food. If anyone lacked a place to go during the holidays, they knew they were welcome with the Miner Clan. It grew into such a tradition that neighboring families joined forces and make it a massive potluck.
For two decades, I carried that spirit into cooking workshops through Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families, at SEAPI (Southeast Asian Pacific Islander) summer camp in the Colorado Rockies. Camp wasn’t just about outdoor adventure; it was a sanctuary where adopted youth learned to take pride in their roots.
Bringing the dishes of my Vietnamese childhood into those workshop kitchens alongside my fellow ATG board members—Carol, Jen, Luwan, Nikki, Tammy and her kids—remains a core summer memory. Watching students I met in kindergarten grow into camp counselors, workshop leaders, and parents themselves proved to me that growth is cyclical.
Camp offered them a space to ground their sense of identity before coming full circle to give back.
Hue’s Field Notes:
The Pivot: Cultural Fragmentation vs. Integration
What once felt like an isolating balancing act between disjointed identities—refugee transit camps, Vietnamese roots, Texan upbringing, and adoptive family traditions—became the foundation for my life’s work. When we give young people the tools to integrate every part of their origin story, their multi-layered backgrounds stop feeling like a burden to manage and start serving as their greatest strength.
The Link: Translating Childhood Memories into Institutional Purpose
The tactile, hands-on empowerment experience of cooking at camp—learning recipes, sharing meals, and building confidence—taught me that self-discovery requires an environment of psychological safety and shared community. We are providing youth with agency, dignity, and independent spaces to explore who they are on their own terms.
The Call to Action
This is why we build pathways to camp. We aren't just sending kids to summer programs; we are expanding the table to ensure every child has access to spaces where they belong, grow, and thrive. I invite you to join us in clearing the way so more young people can step into life-changing summer experiences this year.